More than a million Americans flooded the streets of cities nationwide for emotional protests demanding tighter gun control, in a march spearheaded by teenagers from a Florida high school where 17 people were shot dead last month.
"Politicians, either represent the people or get out," Cameron Kasky, a 17-year-old from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, told the crowd at a huge rally in Washington.
"Stand for us or beware -- the voters are coming," said Kasky, one of the leaders of a dynamic and passionate student movement which has emerged following the February 14 shooting at his school.
Large crowds also turned out for demonstrations in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, Seattle and other cities -- more than 800 in all according to the organisers of the "March For Our Lives."
Mayor Bill de Blasio said 175,000 people took part at the New York rally, tweeting: "These students WILL change America."
"The people demand a law banning the sale of assault weapons," Kasky said. "The people demand we prohibit the sale of high-capacity magazines. The people demand universal background checks."
Tears rolling down her face, she then stood in silence at the podium for a full four and half minutes as the crowd fidgeted and some cried out "We're with you Emma."
"Fight for your lives before it's someone else's job," Gonzalez said. "Get out there and vote."
"And that this should be a gun-free world -- period."
"Every week you hear about a new shooting and nothing is done about it," McCartney told AFP. "But I think maybe after this something will be done about it."
"Well, what's in it for us is knowing we're doing our part to keep our children alive."
Samantha's mother, Ellyn, held a sign reading "I'm Marching So No Other Parent Has to Hear 'Mom, I've Been Shot.'"